Newborn Photography Frederick MD

It’s official! You find yourself staring at those two little lines that just changed your life. You are pregnant. First of all, congratulations! What an amazing journey you are about to embark on! So what now? As a family, maternity, and newborn photographer in the Frederick, MD, area, I interact often with expecting couples who are preparing for the birth of their baby. I hope this blog post will be a helpful resource for knowing a little bit more about what to expect and how to prepare for the journey ahead of you, from prenatal vitamins to maternity photography! 

What to Expect in the First Trimester

Your First Appointment 

Whether you choose to go with an OB GYN or a midwife, you’ll want to call and schedule your first prenatal appointment shortly after you find out you’re pregnant. Your first appointment will probably be when you are around 8 weeks pregnant. 

Prenatal Vitamins

It is good to go ahead and start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you find out you’re pregnant so you know you’re getting all the folic acid and other nutrients needed to best support baby’s development. Some women opt for regular capsules, but others prefer gummies – either one should do the job! Be sure to always take your prenatals after you have eaten something, because they can make you nauseous if you take them on an empty stomach. No fun!

Morning Sickness 

You are probably well aware that most women tend to experience morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy. The dirty secret that not everybody knows, though, is that morning sickness often extends well beyond the morning and can be more of an all day thing. And for some, these symptoms continue into the second trimester, or go away and then come back in the third trimester. Before this post starts sounding all doom and gloom, there are also many women who don’t experience nausea at all, or they have a mild case that clears up within a few weeks. Every pregnancy is different! If you are experiencing morning sickness, then talk to your doctor, ask around, and google ways to relieve the symptoms. You may be able to find ways to lessen or even alleviate the nausea altogether!

Other Symptoms

You’ll probably find yourself googling pregnancy symptoms right up until that baby’s head is out…ok not really, but pretty close! Either way, some other symptoms that you may experience during your first trimester include tiredness and fatigue, needing to use the bathroom all the time (believe it or not, this is not just a third trimester symptom!), bloating, food cravings and aversions, and probably some extra emotions. You may experience all or some or none of these, but just know that if something is different or weird, it’s probably because you’re pregnant!

Eating is Important

This may be especially hard if you are nauseous or experience food aversions, but pregnant women usually need to eat every 2 to 3 hours to prevent depletion of energy, mood swings, and even more nausea. It’s a good idea to keep snacks close by, and make sure you don’t leave the house without snacks in your purse in case you get stuck in traffic. Your body is working much harder than you may realize on the surface, so it needs to be fueled!

What to Expect in the Second Trimester

Second trimester is the golden era of pregnancy. For most women, morning sickness subsides, their adorable baby bump pops out, energy returns, and they get that pregnancy glow. 

The Baby Bump

Although it is common to bloat at the very beginning of pregnancy, most baby bumps for first time moms won’t start to show until the second trimester. What a sweet time it is when you finally start showing. Time to get out those maternity clothes!

Find Out the Sex of the Baby

If you plan to find out the sex of the baby during pregnancy, you’ll likely have a sonogram called the “anatomy scan” at or around 20 weeks gestation. This is when they’ll check and make sure baby looks healthy and like he or she is on track developmentally, and they’ll also be able to see the sex of the baby. Many couples these days choose to find out the sex in the first trimester through blood work, so that is always an option too!

Feeling Movement

There is nothing quite like those first few flutters of your baby moving inside you. Feeling baby’s movements is one of the most special parts of pregnancy. Don’t forget that when you’re getting those painful kicks in the middle of the night shortly before baby’s big debut!

Labor and Delivery Prep

Most women experience anxiety and apprehension when it comes to giving birth so if you feel that way, just know that is very normal! It is a good idea to do some prep work for labor and delivery. Do some research and figure out what kind of birth you would like to have, and then try to find an in-person or virtual birth class/course that supports those goals. You’ll also want to figure out who will be supporting you in labor – your partner, your mom, a doula, a friend, etc.

What to Expect in the Third Trimester

Nesting

Some women experience the nesting instinct throughout their whole pregnancy and not just in the third trimester. Either way, if you find yourself and your giant belly scrubbing baseboards or dusting the top of your ceiling fans, you’re probably nesting. It can be easy to become a little too zealous and overdo it when the nesting urges strike, but nesting is also a great way to distract your mind when you are so anxious to meet your baby.

Maternity Portrait Session

A beautiful way to commemorate your pregnancy is through a maternity session. Growing a baby inside of you is such a special process that really does go by fast. Getting all dolled up and having a professional photographer snap images of you and your beautiful bump is a fun way to celebrate this milestone, your amazing body, and the exciting journey ahead of you! 

Baby Shower

From spending time with friends and family to opening presents for your baby, having a baby shower can be a fun and exciting way to prepare for the arrival of your new little one. This is the time to let your loved ones shower you and your baby with love, food, and gifts – what could be better?

Labor

The time you have awaited for 9 long months is finally here, and your baby is ready to come out! You may experience pre-labor symptoms for weeks before real labor begins, but that is all part of the normal process of your body getting ready for labor and delivery. Trust that your body knows what it is doing, and your baby will be here soon! You got this!

Schedule Your Maternity and Newborn Photoshoots!

One of my favorite things is capturing gorgeous photos of lovely mothers-to-be. If you are expecting a baby and looking for a maternity and newborn photographer in or around Frederick, MD, I would love to help out! You can reach out to me here, and I would be happy to answer any questions and provide more details.